The Republican journal., 1887-07-07
utilized, under the control of American en-


And after all this expense and trouble. there
Is serious danger that the accomplishment of
the undertaking. will hasten the extinction of
the city in one sudden and irrcmedabe catas-
trophc. AS long ago as when that eminent au-
thority, Baron Humboldt, studied and wrote
upon this subject. he declared that if the water
which really holds the basin up We're drained
from beneath it. the whole city would sink
into utter ruin. This idea that the drawing off
of the superabun,lanre Of water which now
largely composcs the subsoil of the valley
would create a vacuum in the earth into which
the city would fall, will now be urged more
than ever by property owners against any
proposed system of drainage, because the re-
cent earthquake so cracked and damaged
many walls that they will moi bear much
settling" Not long ago Il Congressional COM
mittce was appointed to investigate and report
upon the subject. ! give YOU rerbatim an in
tersiew with one of them:
"You voted against the concession; may |
ask for what rcisoni
My principal objection was that if the wat
Gr is drawn off the city will sink. Water is as
good Il su>ianer, and will carry much
weight as any solid, 50 the city OF Mexico. in
fact. does ride on Il lake. more or less deep;
more or less occupied 10y rocks. 1t is nctice-
able that earthquakes do little damage when
they visit this city, because the soil on which it
il built is spongy that the city cannot oscil-
late rs severely rs it would if built on solid
rock. If all this water We're drawn on hv
drainage, what would prevent the city from
settling. or from tumllng about our ears in
ruins! Imagine the Cathedral sinking even
one foot! That would De sufficient to brin"
down its old domcs and pillars and buryins
the wor>hppcr>. The north end Of the Col
lc"c of Mines has settled now as much as il
safely can. | could name hundreds of build.
ing> here that would
TUMBLE INIo COMPLETE WRECKS
If only two inches of water were drawn Off
"Would the drainage make the valley too
dry:"
''Sonr think 80. and that we would then
have no rain at ali. For my part. | believe if
forests were planted in the suburbs, we would
not suiler. | would not. YOU understand, al
N"ca" the drainage of the higher lakes. Nochi-
mile" and tllalco in any case, for their pres
rice is necessary for the rainfall. for the lush
ing OF the sewers and the preservation OF the
pure atmospheric
Nv hat do YOU think of the old Nirerov's
plan for removing the Capital 10 the foot hills
of TacuhaNa:
THAT was the time to have done it: it
would be difficult now, if not impo>Sihlc."
anrc of the city is threatened by Tcxcoro and
the present deadly state Of things"
"Of course | do.''
"Wrl. what other remedy would you sug-
.r>t:'
"V"irn Mhe"-( (wh" hnow,) replied the
usual way of di>miSSing an un.ttc>Sablc CO.
nundrum.
Therefore if any inventive genius. from
Ohio orAl>ew here, Knows the secret of drain
in@ this Incompatible valley without rollap>-
ing the buildings he will rescue from serious
prrdirtmcnt what should become the finest and
hralthr>t city in the world. rs wei! as one of
the most beautiful, and win the eternal graft
tIc of its inhabitants.
FANNIE b. WARD.